EAST HARTFORD CHILD, 4, LEFT ON SCHOOL VAN

School officials are trying to find out how a 4-year-old child was left on a school van that was taking students home Thursday from the Willowbrook Early Childhood Center.

Robert Marchese, director of pupil personnel services, said that the child, Krysta Evans, was found on a van that had mechanical problems and returned to the Ryder Student Transportation Services bus yard on Tolland Street. He added that there was an adult on the van at all times during the incident.

Marchese said the van apparently broke down on Pitkin Street. Another vehicle was sent to take the children home, but Krysta was left behind, Marchese said. She was found on the first van by the driver after it was taken to the bus yard on Tolland Street.

Marchese, reached Thursday evening, said he had no further details. He said he would talk to Ryder officials and the school system's transportation coordinator Friday to find out more information about the incident.

"I don't know why they didn't take the child off the bus," Marchese said. "Obviously, it wasn't intentional."

He added that he would contact the parents and apologize on behalf of the school system.

Tony Evans, Krysta's father, said he was very angry about the incident. He questioned whether the drivers checked thoroughly to make sure all the students were off the bus before leaving the scene.

"There's nothing for them to apologize to me about. You're supposed to do your job," he said. "It shouldn't have happened.

Ann Evans, Krysta's mother, said she first called the school around 3:30 p.m. because the van bringing her daughter was late. She said she was told that the van had broken down.

When the van arrived at her Orchard Street home around 3:50 p.m., Evans said she went on the van to unbuckle her daughter's seat belt.

"She wasn't there," she said.

The driver radioed the bus yard and discovered that Krysta had been found on the bus with the mechanical problems, she said.

The driver then drove back to the bus yard, picked up Krysta and brought her home around 4:30 p.m.,Ann Evans said, adding that her daughter had slept through much of the incident.